Flexible hand duster



July 21, 93 0. T. SCHAEFER ET AL FLEXIBLE HAND DUSTER Filed Oct. 31, 1934 INVENTOR. 0 rr 0 7. iclminw. fioamr J. n nc/rm.

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Patented July 21, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE HAND DUSTER Application October 31, 1934, Serial No. 750,806

1 Claim.

. This invention relates broadly to household dusting devices and particularly to that type commonly referred to as hand clusters.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character referred to which is simple in construction, economical to manufacture and efficient in operation.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hand duster having an easily removable and washable covering.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a hand duster which is light in weight, highly flexible, compressible and readily adaptable to all types of work.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of the character referred to which has all of the advantages of a feather cluster and none of the disadvantages of the latter.

The foregoing objects and other advantages of the invention will appear after a careful examination is made of the following description wherein reference is made to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away, showing the duster frame partly assembled.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary plan view, with parts broken away, showing the duster frame completely assembled.

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

35 Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the assembled frame with lines dotted in to illustrate the flexibility and compressibility of the loop.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing it will be seen that the device embodying our invention consists, generally speaking, of a handle 8, a loop 9 and a fabric covering or sheath I0 which is designed to completely enclose the loop 9 and the dust collecting elements or thrums II. The parts just referred to are constructed,

combined and arranged in the following manner to complete the device.

The handle 8 which may be of any desired length, is preferably formed with an enlarged head I2, near one end. The enlarged head I2 gives strength to the handle and serves as an anchor base for the loop 9 and the sheath I 0.

Longitudinal grooves I3 and- I4 are formed along the opposite sides of the head I2 and extend from the free end I5, of the head I2, to points intermediate the ends of the head I2. The grooves I3 and I4 communicate with a passageway l6 which is drilled through the head I2 at right angles to the said grooves.

To secure the loop 9 to the handle 8 we provide a predetermined length of relatively stiff wire, such as piano wire or the like, which we extend through the passage-way IS in the head I2, so that it protrudes equally distant from each side of the handle 8. The protruding ends are then bent at right angles to the passage-way I6 and disposed forwardly in the grooves I3 and I4. The wire is then bent and rebent to form two diverging arms I! and I8 (Fig. 2) which serve as supporting elements for the loop 9 as hereinafter described. The loop 9 consists, preferably, of spring wire closely wound to form a helical tube having an inside diameter equal to the diameter of the wire comprising the arms I! and I8. The

arms I! and I8 are inserted into the ends of 15 the loop 9 to a depth sufiicient to permit the ends of the loop 9 to rest in the grooves I3 and I4 of the handle 8 (Fig. 3). It will be noted that the rebends in the wire comprising the arms I1 and I8, create friction within the tube comprising the 20 loop 9 and serve as looking elements between said arms and the loop. At this juncture a ferrule 20 is placed on the handle 8, and moved into the position shown in Fig. 3 and is anchored by means of an inturned lug 2|. The ferrule 20 exerts pressure on the ends of the loop 9 and the supporting elements in the grooves I3 and I4 and firmly secures the loop 9 to the handle 8. When the loop 9 is in the position indicated in Fig. 3, it is inserted into the fabric sheath I0 and the draw strings 22 are tied about the handle 8 above the head I2 and the duster is ready for use.

In Fig. 5 is illustrated an assembled frame with the fabric sheath removed from which it will be apparent, to those skilled in the art, that the device of the applicants has a high degree of compressibility and flexibility.

Having described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

In a device of the character described, including a handle, the combination of a bendable and collapsible frame, adapted to carry a mop swab or the like, said frame, consisting of a single length of spring wire closely wound to form a tube, and means for attaching said frame to said handle, said last named means comprising a transverse passageway through said handle, longitudinal grooves extending from said passageway to one end of said handle, and a single length of spring wire extending through said transverse passageway, and bent to engage said longitudinal grooves and rebent to form a pair of comparatively short diverging tines, said tines telescoping the ends of said frame to the depth of said first mentioned bend.

OTTO T. SCHAEFER.

ROBERT J. WETCHER. 

